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Potential cardiovascular benefits of insulin sensitizers

Biju P Kunhiraman1, Ali Jawa, Vivian A Fonseca

  • 1Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Tulane University and Hospital, 1430 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.

Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America
|March 9, 2005
PubMed

A multiple risk factor approach is needed in patients who have type 2 diabetes. Because many risk factors are linked with IR, treatment with insulin sensitizers has the potential to modulate these risk factors favorably. TZDs 'have many important effects beyond lowering blood glucose. By targeting IR, they improve many cardiovascular risk factors that are associated with the IR syndrome. In particular, they increase HDL-C, have anti-inflammatory effects, improve endothelial function and fibrinolysis, and decrease carotid intimal thickness; however, no evidence-based studies on cardiovascular outcomes are available to substantiate the potential cardioprotective effects of TZDs. Several clinical trials that were designed to investigate the effect that these agents have on reducing cardiovascular events are well under way.

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